Customer Reviews

I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (Bonus CD) (Reis)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

People tend to forget that O'Connor truly became a star in 1987, when her breathtakingly feral debut album, 'The Lion and the Cobra,' went platinum, astonished critics, garnered a Grammy nomination, and thrilled modern rock fans and college kids on both sides of the Atlantic. The fact that people forget she had already scored big is all the more testament to the power of her 1990 follow-up, 'I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.' Truly one of the most acclaimed albums of the 1990's, this Grammy-winning set deservedly rocketed O'Connor from sensation to global superstar. Though much of that success is due to her phenomenal and definitive cover of the Prince-penned 'Nothing Compares 2 U' and the stark accompanying video, it was really the impact of the entire album--O'Connor as superb singer-songwriter--that won her legions of fans and paved the way for the coming slew of angst-ridden girl-power pop/rockers. Every one of this album's originals has been remastered and the sound is a major improvement upon the prior mix. O'Connor is even more crytsalline, if that's possible. All her classics shine--"Emperor's New Clothes," "Three Babies," "Black Boys on Mopeds," "Last Day of Our Acquaintance" and, naturally, her monster-hit, "Nothing Compares 2 U." Though the bonus disc has excellent extras (esp. a haunting Daniel Lanois-produced version of 'Night Nurse'), it's the long overdue remastering of this groundbreaking classic pop/rock album that makes this purchase mandatory. Though O'Connor derailed subsequently for a variety of reasons, few artists since have been able to come close to the perfection of this set.

Other reviewers have addressed the remastering quality of this reissue; I'm going to address the packaging and song selection.

If ever an artist deserved to be re-evaluated and appreciated by another generation, it's Sinead. The anniversary of "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" (which is really *2010*, but who's counting?) should have been the perfect opportunity for this, but instead, it's a lackluster effort that got almost no promotion and has gone largely unnoticed.

One glaring oversight is the printed lyrics--where'd they go? They were in the original release. These songs are some of Sinead's finest examples of songwriting, so personal and so moving that not including the lyrics almost seems like Sinead is pulling back from the openness and intimacy that she gave us in the original release.

Second, there are almost no notes about the songs on the bonus disc. When were "Night Nurse" and "Mind Games" recorded? (I still have no idea. They don't sound contemporary with the rest of IDNWWIHG.) Who played on them? Where did "My Special Child," "Damn Your Eyes," and "Silent Night" first appear? (As a 1991 single, a b-side of 1990's "Three Babies", and a 1991 made-for-TV film in the UK, respectively). Why is "Silent Night" marked as "long version"? (Because the 1991 single of the same name had a shorter version, and the long version appeared only on the hard-to-find TV soundtrack.) You get the idea. Without notes, these bonus songs do little to help us interpret and understand the album, and Sinead's mindset when she wrote and recorded it.

Speaking of Sinead's mindset, why didn't she contribute any notes to this release, which was the highlight of her career? There's an amusing, but not very informative, note from her ex-husband and producer John Reynolds, but it leaves us wondering where the rest of it is.

On a positive note, some of the photographs in the booklet and digipak are absolutely exquisite, a reminder of how Sinead could look ethereal and divine, even while sporting an aggressive, up-yours "hairstyle".

I DO want what we haven't gotten with this release. Will Sinead, or somebody else in her camp or at EMI give this a *proper* rerelease next year, to celebrate its real 20th anniversary? I sure hope so.

This review focuses on the audio quality of the remaster, for the benefit of audiophiles who are wondering whether it's worth replacing the original CD.

Overall grade: some improvement, but not a "must have" for audio quality.

The original 1990 CD edition didn't sound bad in the first place. The remaster boosts the volume (common trick that fools many into thinking it sounds "better"). In matched volume comparisons, the remaster stands out principally for having more "air" in recording, yielding a more open sound, more instrumental separation, slightly brighter than the original. But unless you're listening closely, it's not a night-and-day difference (unlike the remaster of The Cure's Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, which is an amazing across the board improvement on the original).

Second disk is a nice bonus, gathering b sides and compilation tracks, including a great live version of "Troy" that was the b side for "3 babies". Three previously unreleased tracks, as well: "Night Nurse," "Mind Games," and a live version of "I Want Your (Hands on Me)" from BBC Radio 1 (broadcast 25May1990).

Equipment used for listening comparisons: Mark Levinson 390S CD player, Aesthetix Calypso preamp, BAT VK-75SE power amp, and Quad ESL 988 speakers, cabling by Tara Labs.

To me, "Nothing Compares To You" is one of the weaker songs on this album. The reason is precisely because it was written by Prince -- thus, the lyrics adopt the point of view of a suave R&B loverman, who may be heartbroken for "fifteen days," but give him another two weeks and he'll forget all about it. In addition to mentioning that he can eat in fancy restaurants and seduce any girl he wants, Prince writes, "I know that living with your baby was sometimes hard," which is sort of a roundabout admission of guilt. But even though the break-up was his fault, he adds, "I'm willing to give it another try." Uh, isn't the real question supposed to be whether your baby is "willing" to forgive you?

Sinead O'Connor had a very different image. Her element was histrionic, doomy romanticism. The incoherent statements that torpedoed her career, and her overall combative attitude, seemed driven by a yearning for some great hopeless battle, one that made sense only to her. The best songs on her first album were the very old-fashioned abandoned-woman laments "Jackie" and "Troy," and the ominous fire-and-brimstone prophecy "Drink Before The War." On this album, you see it in "I Am Stretched On Your Grave," whose opening lines ("I am stretched on your grave / and will lie there forever") are very far away from Prince's worldview. In an industry full of manufactured decadence and cheap sentimentality, this song still stands out.

Aside from "Nothing Compares To You," this album plays to her strengths. Sinead doesn't sound right in a rock song with loud guitars; she is not the singer in a band, where different musicians might play off of each other. Her voice is really meant for hymns (her later album of reggae covers works largely because of the cosmic scope of the subject matter), but in a pinch, a backdrop of stately strings will do, like in the gorgeous opening track "Feel So Different." The lyrics elegantly describe the gradual realization that one is becoming distanced from one's own youth. The music also builds up gradually; she's almost whispering in the first verse, and by the end, she effortlessly carries a note in the chorus for longer than one would think was humanly possible.

Other songs experiment with other musical styles, but always in a way that favours O'Connor's particular theatrics. The music in "I Am Stretched On Your Grave" consists of a dry drum track, with no additional sounds until the very end. The beat is common in hip-hop, but in the context of O'Connor's singing style, it's an eerie and even original (eat your heart out, Bjork) way of emphasizing the vocals. The title track has no music at all, only O'Connor's voice - a daring move for a rock artist.

The writing is less direct here than on The Lion And The Cobra, often simultaneously confessional and oblique. "You Cause As Much Sorrow" starts off sounding like a break-up song with a conflicted tone, alternately accusatory ("you've done nothing so far but destroy my life") and self-justifying ("sounds more vicious than I actually mean"). But then she says, "you cause as much sorrow dead as you did when you were alive," suddenly turning the words into a disquieting monologue. The upbeat tone of "The Emperor's New Clothes" sounds like a spirited affirmation of girl power (Sinead's bratty purr on the line, "how could I possibly know what I want when I was only twenty-one?" is humorously appealing), but cheerfully admits, "I can't bear to be in another city...I would return to nothing without you."

The songs that detail personal troubles (except "Nothing Compares To You" and "Jump In The River") are presented from the point of view of a mother rather than a teenage girl. The songs are stylized to sound more matter-of-fact about one's own relationships, and the strongest emotions are now associated with children. As a result, the protest song "Black Boys On Mopeds" is able to cut deeper than anything the Manic Street Preachers could write. It is fitting that the sweetest expression of love on the album is the line, "Each of these, my three babies, has brought you closer to me."

At the same time, maturity can be a double-edged sword. This album is better and more consistent than the debut, O'Connor controls her voice better and doesn't strain quite as much, but she also sounds a little tired. Nothing compares to the fanatical devotion and intense self-abnegating grief of "Jackie" or "Troy," which still sound as pure and passionate as a first love. Maternal serenity suits her just as well, but the occasional touches of worldly banality, like the "phone calls" and seduction story in "Jump In The River," are lightweight in comparison.

The second side is noticeably weaker than the first, and the music is obviously secondary to the vocals. But the album is valuable because it captures an unusual voice and personality at their brief peak. Shortly after, she deliberately sabotaged her own career, for apparently no reason -- whatever one thinks of her statements at the time, certainly everyone whom she influenced played it much safer.

While I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got may not have urgently needed a sound upgrade, considering the album is approaching its 20th (!) anniversary, the remaster sounds great. This is a perfect album, and it's lost none of its emotional power.

The second disc could have been a throwaway, but it's a surprisingly cohesive disc which exemplifies Sinead's diverse talents, from reggae ("Night Nurse"), to big band ("You Do Something To Me"), to John Lennon covers ("Mind Games") and even Christmas music (a haunting take on "Silent Night").

I agree with a previous poster that the liner notes could have been more expansive, but this remaster gives us what we came for: the music. And even if you already own IDNWWIHG, it's worth buying again for this limited edition.

Say everything you can about this album. The second disc is excellent. It's been ten years since I heard special child and it still gives me chills. The John Lennon song is more than serviceable. The photos in the package are especially pleasing. Only complaint is the linear notes which seem like an afterthought even though they're written by John Reynolds. I hope they do this with Lion and the Cobra soon. I love everyone.

As a whole I really loved this album. A couple of songs I could do without.

I owned this a long time ago 1990 to be exact. I bought it when "Nothing Compares 2 U" was number 1 all over the place. I hate that song with a passion, but the rest of this is actually very good. Sinead branched out with all her influences on this ranging from torch songs, to pop, to even acapella on the title track. If I was just doing the actual album released in all it's splendor in 1990 I would say that 8 of the 10 songs would be terrific. The only exceptions were "Nothing Compares 2 U", and "Feels So Different" I felt that both of these songs weren't as good as the other 8. "Nothing Compares" I didn't like it when Prince did it on "Purple Rain" at least Sinead made it sound a little bit better with her vocals as she sounds almost angelic compared to Prince's caterwalling on the same track. It's a break-up song, and I was depressed when I first bought this as I went through a break-up, but didn't want to cry like Sinead does in the video. I just didn't feel it was manly. The top 2 songs on here are nice little rockers. "The Emperor's New Clothes" is probably my favorite on here as it's just sunny sounding even if the words to the song might say something else. The music is just perfect in the key of B Flat, and when the long instrumental jam takes place I just don't ever want it to end. The other song is "Jump In The River" which is the flipside to "Nothing Compares" it's a nice little grunge rocker before grunge became fashionable. The second disc here is no slouch either as Sinead does very well on the John Lennon song "Mind Games", and "Silent Night". I feel that this was a good album even though it's probably something I would not buy again. I guess the one thing that would make it even better is if Sinead would grow her hair out, and have long hair, but I guess that's asking for too much. I mean she has pretty blue eyes I would like to see them be complemented with longer hair. Not saying she has to it would just be nice.

The two discs come housed in a six panel digipak including an eight page booklet(vary rare photo covers inside booklet). 1990 breakthrough album including a bonus 10 track disc containing two previously unavailable recordings, live cuts and B sides. If you are a Sinead fan from heart then you must rush out an purchase your own copy (Collector's Limited Edition). This digipak is so beautiful that Sinead & John & Fachtna put together. This is last time that EMI Capital will own license rights before it reverts back to Sinead...So get your copy today....